Davao White Water Tubing

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Great Outdoors

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5.0 Stars

Casey D.

10

Went to Davao last January 2016 for my barkada’s annual travel escapade. I was the one who did our itinerary. I Included Samal island, Tinuy-an Falls and Enchanted river. While creating our timeline, I was able to squeeze in the above tours for 2 days, therefore, we still have one vacant day. I want to maximize our stay in Davao and opt not to include countryside tours during our stay. While looking for other alternatives, I saw one blog wherein they did white water rafting when they were in Davao. I was excited and immediately inquired for the rates and schedule. Andd… it was kinda pricey. Therefore, I, again looked for other activities we can do. I told myself I want something unique, something we cannot do in Manila or not available from other travel destinations here in the Philippines. I searched again and again with different words used.. HAHAHA

HALLELUJIAH!!!! I found LAYAK PAANOD!!! They offer white water river TUBING which is done in Talomo/Malagos river.

TUBING – the activity of riding on an inner tube over a snow, down a river etc.

While looking on their facebook profile, yes there were photos but there were only few reviews regarding it. I was kinda hesitant at first. Called them on the phone numbers posted but no one’s answering. I just left them a message on facebook. After several hours, they replied and got the necessary details that I requested. They offer white water river tubing for php600 per pax minimum of 6 pax. We were only four in the group so we have to shoulder another payment for two pax. They also require an advance payment of 50%. We were their first customer for that day and we were required to be on their shop at 6am sharp. Yes, it is not advisable to be late because there are other group scheduled also on that day. They give an allotted time of 4hours per group for the said activity. Inclusions on the php 600 payment are pictures and videos (bring your own memory card with atleast 4 gb), guides fee, rental of gears, transpo from the meeting place to the site and vice versa.

Their shop is located in Fausta street, Calinan, Davao city which is also the meeting place. Directions on how to go there: from your chosen hotel, hail a cab going to Bangkerohan, Phoenix gasoline station. Beside the gas station is the terminal going to Calinan, if im not mistaken we paid php 45 each for the fare. We rode an airconditioned multicab. Tell the driver to drop you off in layak outdoorshop in Datu Abing street, right across Calinan Central Elementary School. Travel time took around 20 – 30 mins.

We were welcomed by a guy with several tattoos. Don’t be afraid he’s really nice. After paying our remaining balance, buying our baon for the trip and putting on our life jackets, off we gooooo!

From there we rode on a multicab similar to those multicabs around Mall of asia. We were accompanied by four of their staffs. One will be the photographer / videographer and the other three will be the people to assist us during the river tubing. The multicab ride took around 15 mins, we still walked for around 5 mins to reach Talomo river while carrying a big, heavy salbabida. Yes, you have to carry your own salbabida. Haha upon arrival at the river, we had a short briefing regarding the do’s and don’t’s. They taught us several techniques on how to balance and how not to fall on the river. But they said that we should not fight the river’s current and we were like.. "SO KAPAG ALAM NAMIN AT RAMDAM NAMING MA-FFALL NA KAMI, HAYAAN NA LANG?" and yup, that’s the best advice they said para di na masyadong masaktan! Pag nahulog, go with the flow, wag na tangkaing labanan ang current. Hihi. After all andun naman sila agad to help us. After the short briefing, they told us they have this ritual, we have to bow our heads so we thought we are going to pray.. yes, we prayed but after they splashed water to us. It was unexpected. Haha

Then we started the river tubing, we were released in the river one by one. Once nabitawan ka na ni kuya, you have no choice but just go with the flow. I was the first “ALAY” of our group. My friend accidentally kicked me while saving herself into not falling, then boom, I was the one who fell. The water was really cold. Before I was carried away by the strong current, one kuya was there who helped we get back to my salbabida. We continued for several minutes na we’re on our own. Big rocks and strong current really made it an exhilarating experience. There’s one time wherein you have to pass by several big rocks and one wrong move you will fall from your salbabida. I was really holding tight on my salbabida as if no one can get it from me. That’ the only way I can assure that I will not fall from it, AGAIN. Haha And you really have to master balancong yourself to avoid falling and bumping into big rocks, you dont want to have bruises after this adventure.

Then we were asked to get a partner, a partner that will not let you go through thick and thin. We were asked by the kuyas to place our legs in front of each other, then we have to hold each other’s feet. In that way we will not be separated from each other. May time na the river was calm and there were times na we will pass by big rocks and help one another to get through it. We did it and no one was left behind.

After an hour we “parked” on one side of the river where it is shallow. There we ate our baon which is just crackers and water. While eating, the kuyas were preparing for our next activity. They were moving the rocks on to one side of the river. They told us to get ready as our next activity is really exciting. We are going to form like a caterpillar and our main goal is to finish it still in tacked with one another. I was the one in front, they did not told us what we are exactly going to do, they just kept on saying that whatever happens do not let go. I was shocked when one of the kuya got my legs and feet and started moving. He acted as the head of the caterpillar and one kuya acted as the tail, my friends and I were the caterpillar’s body. He started moving, hinila nya kami kasabay ng flow ng water. The current was really strong on that side. Then he was doing butterfly swimming therefore it made us all wiggle!! We were going up and down, we were shouting and laughing while doing this. I think this was the best part of our experience. There’s also a video and it was really funny seeing our mixed reactions. Haha then we reached a part of the river where one can jump, I think it’s just 5 feet. They asked us to jump one by one while they were documenting it. One of my friend and I were really afraid. Took us several minutes before we gave in. i was really happy I did it, coz they also told us we were not going to continue until all of us jumped. We also jumped in group. For our last activity, again we have to go on our own. We were released one by one, but only once the other one reached the end destination. On this part they made sure that all of us will fall. On the end there is a mini falls. They were laughing at me coz I really did my best not to fall. They pushed me thrice and asked to wave on the video to divert my concentration, they won, I fell. haha

We finished the activity for a little more than 3 hours. We get back to the shop and there we took a bath. It was really a super fun experience. They thought us several lessons in life and in love. Haha it was a good bonding experience plus the kuyas were really nice.

If you are in for a water adventure, try white water river tubing offered by team layak. For me, this was the highlight of my Davao escapade!!

Tips:
• wear leggings and rashguard, to avoid you from having scatches/bruises
•do not wear slippers
• eat first before the activity, you will be really tired and hungry after
•put on sunblock
•you will be asked to leave your things in their shop, so if you have trust issues, better leave your things where you think it is safe, but as with our experience, we left all our valuable things in their shop and nothing was missing
•be fit and go with the flow